Crown prosecutor Gary Churchill said Michaels was caught as a part of Operation Quaker which was investigating the cocaine trade in south east Queensland. The charges came about after police tapped phone calls between Michaels and drug syndicate leader and former Sydney Roosters player John Touma, who were both believed to be involved in a cocaine ring, which was exposed by a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) investigation. The pair along with Hunt, former NSW Origin fullback Matt Seers and former Australian and Queensland Origin utility Jason Smith were all found to be involved. Karmichael Hunt The code-hopper who had stints with the Broncos, Kangaroos and Queensland in league, the Gold Coast Suns in AFL, and the Reds, Wallabies and Waratahs in rugby played a pivotal role in the CCC's investigation into a cocaine ring involving athletes.